Shoot- Went well once i reset the lighting like i had in the practice. A few set backs, mainly messing around with the white balance because it was set to capture the white ambient lights of the media factory studios and in victoria they were warmer.

The actors came along dead on time, and we got through quickly. They gave me exactly what i wanted, diversity and real facial emotions. I know i wouldn’t have gotten this from just any model or friends roped in.

Postproduction – i lowered the colour temperature, lowered the saturation, patched any distracting areas and cropped. The final three are my chosen images to submit, which i plan to go and get printed tomorrow.

To be authentic and not too cliché i need to scene to look like a confessional. My tutor advised that i call up some churches and see what they thought of me shooting. Although this would be a smart idea and the lighting system is portable, i don’t really see it happening and the idea makes me uncomfortable.

PLAN B

Building a screen that would be the centre of the confessional, which would also cast a shadow. The frame is just a huge piece of Fretwork which I got discounted from B&Q because it was broken, cut down. I added the frame around the edge which is just 2×1, then stained with varnish.

Using the frame, and assistant and the Dedo lighting experiment [on 23rd November] I wanted to try out 4 different ways that I could shoot the models.

1. The idea in this shot was to capture the patterns only, as a suggestion of the booth. The advantages being more focus on the facial expression, the disadvantage being I don’t get to show off the frame I made!

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2.The second experiment was like the first, getting the pattern effect and the screen in. Advantages, more symbolism and connotation with confession, disadvantages – is it too much?

3. The third using the panel as a backdrop, still getting some pattern. Advantages the aesthetic, disadvantages – the lack of face shown.

4. The last with the model behind the screen, although this sort of portrait would leave more to the narrative, creating a relationship where we as the viewer are on the other side, the priest. But visually there is no detail in face because the patturn is so small. I won’t be using this idea.

Actors, after putting the poster out I have some interest. As the deadline is the 29th Nov, I plan to shoot on Friday 26th and print on Saturday 27th

LIGHTING experiments; To create the patterns of a confessional booth i decided to experiment with boards to shine the light through. Before shooting i cut two sized shapes out of mount board. When shooting the results for the small diamonds came out they had merged into a kindof dogtooth pattern. Results; its the start of what i want but needs modification.

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To combat the stange shapes it made, i created a makeshift larger diamond shape from card i had. It made much the same result but larger. I know to increase the intensity of the pattern i can move the light closer.

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An induction to the Dedolights may be just the effect that i need. Because the lights stay on and don’t rely on flash, i will see the patturn being cast onto the model, so can rearrange accordinly. But also a lower shutter speed on a tripod to capture the ambient light and the dedo lights more effectively. The basic kit is as below.

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PORTRAITS

The next part of the process is thinking of how the emotions of the models should be portrayed. I have a few photographers in mind to look at for inspiraton. The first being Arnulf Rainer, who took highly energetic self portraits of himself when he was in what he called ‘a trance’ [below]. Although his work is a different subject matter with combinations of different media, the point is that his images use the more unconventional unplanned facial expressions which speak for themselves and are more interesting.

Another photographer known for how he extracts the personalities of people is Avedon. Taken from his website archive, the image below is a portrait of a theatre legend. If i can extract such emotions from my models / actors i will be happy.

Alastair Thain

Shot close up, these are no posed and perfect shots: photographer Alastair Thain snapped the soldiers immediately after a gruelling training run – the hardship of which is etched in painful detail on their faces. Thain used some rather nifty technology to create the giant portraits, taking advantage of the same ultra-high definition format that NASA uses to photograph the earth from space. The result is a series of portraits that, although produced and displayed on a grand scale, are startlingly intimate: these are both tough-as-old-army-boots marines and six raw young lads – much-loved sons and brothers who seem, perhaps, too young to go to war. [ http://www.creativetourist.com/news-and-blog/hello-boys]

By photographing the marines in a moment of pain, Thain was able to create amazing portraits. I am inspired by his images, and although the people i will shoot wont actually be confessing, i need to find a way for this to come across.

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To get the results i desire i have to search for experience beyond modelling. I put up this poster in the Media Factory;

Spotlight lighting and vignette or stark white like a prison ID image.

Need to experiment the lighting on 9th Nov;

In contrast to the first lighting i had in mind, i felt that having options is a better way to work through this personal shoot idea. Ideally i want it to be something i can put into my portfolio. The second technique is a stark white background with a well lit model. Drawing reference from the shots taken of criminals for theyre records.

I just wanted to send you an email to tell you how much i admire your work. In particular i came across the project hope and fear and it has totally changed the way practise art and Photography.

I am studying Photography at Preston University and find it hard to relate to others as i take a surrealist perspective but also adore constructed scene. Im a cross roads of where to take my work and Photographers like you are always inspiring me to discover myself.

I just wanted to ask, what are you inspired by? And would you have an advice for someone like me!

I am also getting in contact to see if i could assist your shoots, should you ever need someone! Im free, intelligent and very keen to learn…

Thank you for your time,

Natalie Mayer

Reply =Hi Natalie-

Thanks very much for your email…I’m glad I’ve inspired you!

In terms of what inspires me, well, it’s hard to say really-I’ll give you an answer, but it won’t be very satisfying! Everything is inspiring-you just have to be awake enough to realize when you ARE being inspired-does that make any sense?

As for assisting, I’m afraid I live in new York, so unless you’re over here…

Good luck!

Phil

Mrtoledano.com

I also contacted the following Studios based in London

Springstudio’s, Bigskylondon, Parkroyalstudios, the-worx and the-aop.

The Worx studio got back to me offering me a weeks work experience, which i am currently sorting out

The first idea i had was to have narrative portraits of people suffering the emotions that theme the film. To recap, there was loss of all morals, greed, envy, wrath, betrayal and guilt. These emotions can be read into in many different ways. I was being quite rash with this idea and got carried away. Right now whats most important is the lighting and symbolism. I need to portray a deeper idea than just a portrait of an angry person. I am still keen on different lighting however.

At first i thought of building a small tent structure to creating the kind of lighting blow, to use within the studio.. i thought this may be the best option rather than trying to stop the light spillage from the light sources. Issues of cost, and location crop up, as the model would be surrounded by black. I do see this idea working, but I think its a better idea to branch out as location could be key. The other image below is where the inspiration came from, the directional lighting can be so impactful, this and the themes of emotion is what i am taking from the film.

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I then developed the idea further into a confession booth. Instead of putting the characters in a cellar which i planned to do in response to the attic scene in the movie, i toyed with the idea of a confessional booth. There are three original opertunities of shooting i saw

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1. Confessing to themselves, to sybolise a consciene.

2. Confessing to a Priest

3. A potrait not showing the other side

I researched how confessionals have been portrayed;

The X Files – I really like this image, the use of a second person in the forground adds another relationship, which is another thing to keep in mind.

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Alfred Hitchcock- directed a film called “I confess” which i am going to watch to see how he has interepreted and shot the confession booth, although i did find some stills already.

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Fashion blog. – I found this image by searching coffessions online, i think shooting through the actual mesh could be a create angle, its a clear connotation of a confession booth and teh patturn adds interest.

Sean Mcgrath which i found on a photography sharing network. I’ve been racking my brains on how to shoot this scene because there are literally hundreds of ways to do it. The simple setup by Mcgrath just may be the key.

In order to make the lighting idea work, before i completly work out what the final content i need to experiment with how it will look best. I plan to get in the studio on the 9th November. I will also be inducted into Depo lighting on the 18th November.